On this page, you will find:
- Who may qualify for urgent processing based on air travel
- How the air-travel route differs from exceptional urgent processing
- Why dual Canadian citizens may need proof of citizenship before flying
- How to request urgent processing before or after applying
- Which supporting documents applicants should provide
- Important limits and risks applicants should understand
- Frequently asked questions
Some dual Canadian citizens with plans to fly to Canada may be able to request urgent processing of their application for a Canadian citizenship certificate, according to guidance published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The route applies to a dual Canadian citizen who is also a citizen of a visa-exempt country and can provide proof of air travel to Canada within six months after applying.
This is significant because IRCC lists the air-travel route separately from its usual urgent-processing grounds, which generally involve exceptional circumstances such as family illness, employment, education, statelessness or access to social benefits.
However, applicants should not interpret the policy as a promise that IRCC will approve their request or issue a certificate before their flight. IRCC reviews each request individually and expressly warns that urgent processing is not guaranteed.
Who May Qualify Based On Air Travel?
IRCC’s urgent-processing guidance for citizenship certificates says a dual Canadian citizen may request urgent processing if they:
- are also a citizen of a visa-exempt country; and
- have proof of air travel to Canada within six months following the date of the citizenship certificate application.
Proof of travel may include a paid plane ticket or itinerary. Applicants should include documentation showing both the travel date and proof of payment.
The wording matters. Under this route, IRCC identifies qualifying booked travel itself as the basis for an urgent request. The department does not say that the traveller must also prove a death, serious illness, job loss or another exceptional hardship.
The route is nevertheless limited. It concerns air travel to Canada, not simply any international trip, and the applicant must hold citizenship in a country whose nationals are normally visa-exempt for travel to Canada.
Two Routes To Urgent Processing
IRCC’s guidance effectively describes two routes through which a citizenship certificate application may receive urgent treatment.
1. Exceptional or time-sensitive circumstances
IRCC may process an application urgently when a certificate is needed to address an exceptional or time-sensitive situation. Examples include:
- avoiding harm or hardship connected to race, religion, nationality, sexual orientation, gender identity or membership in a particular group;
- bringing a minor child born abroad to a Canadian parent to Canada;
- addressing statelessness;
- travelling because of a death or serious illness in the family when the applicant cannot obtain a passport in their other nationality;
- renouncing another citizenship by a deadline;
- applying for or retaining a job;
- attending a school, college or university; or
- accessing benefits such as health care, a pension or a Social Insurance Number.
These examples are not necessarily exhaustive. In every case, the applicant should explain the urgency and provide documents that directly support it.
2. Air travel to Canada by certain dual citizens
The second route is specifically for dual Canadian citizens who also hold citizenship in a visa-exempt country and have booked air travel to Canada within six months of applying.
This route may be particularly relevant to people who recently learned that they are Canadian citizens by descent and need a citizenship certificate to document that status. That group could include some people affected by changes to Canada’s citizenship-by-descent rules under Bill C-3.
Still, a person should confirm that they are eligible to apply for a citizenship certificate before booking travel or relying on urgent processing.
Why Air Travel Creates A Documentation Problem For Dual Citizens
Most dual Canadian citizens must carry a valid Canadian passport to board a commercial flight to Canada. They generally cannot obtain an electronic travel authorization (eTA) using their other passport because Canadian citizens are not eligible for an eTA.
IRCC’s travel guidance for dual Canadian citizens states that a valid Canadian passport is normally required to fly to or transit through Canada.
A citizenship certificate proves Canadian citizenship, but it is not a passport or travel document. Its practical importance is that a person may need the certificate before they can apply for their first Canadian passport.
Canadian-American dual citizens are an important exception. They may fly to Canada using a valid United States passport, although IRCC says they should also carry identification showing their Canadian citizenship and must still meet the basic requirements to enter Canada.
How To Request Urgent Processing
The procedure depends on whether the person has already submitted the citizenship certificate application and whether they applied online or on paper.
If applying online for the first time
The online application asks whether urgent processing is required. The applicant should answer “Yes,” explain the reason for the request and upload supporting documents.
If submitting a new paper application
The applicant should include:
- a letter explaining why urgent processing is requested; and
- documents supporting the request.
The envelope should be clearly marked “Urgent – Citizenship Certificate (Proof)” in large, dark letters.
If the application has already been submitted
Applicants who applied online, or who submitted a paper application from Canada or the United States, should use the IRCC web form. The message should begin with “Request for urgent processing” and include the applicant’s full name, date of birth, email address and telephone number, together with supporting documents.
Someone who submitted a paper application from outside Canada or the United States should contact the Canadian embassy, high commission or consulate where the application was filed.
IRCC warns applicants not to submit a duplicate application. A person who has already applied should request urgent treatment of the existing application instead of filing a second one.
What Supporting Evidence Should Be Included?
For the air-travel route, applicants should provide a plane ticket or itinerary showing travel to Canada within six months of the application date, together with proof of payment.
Depending on the request, other evidence could include:
- a letter from an employer;
- a letter from a school;
- a doctor’s note; or
- a death certificate.
Supporting files sent electronically must generally be in PDF, JPEG, TIFF, DOC or DOCX format. Each file must be no larger than 2 MB, and multiple files must total no more than 3.5 MB.
Urgent Processing Is Not Guaranteed
IRCC makes three limitations clear:
- incomplete applications will not be processed;
- even a qualifying request may not be completed in time for the applicant’s travel; and
- if IRCC decides the request does not qualify, the application will continue under normal processing timelines.
Applicants should therefore avoid making non-refundable travel arrangements solely on the assumption that a citizenship certificate or Canadian passport will be issued by a particular date.
They should also allow time for the separate passport application process. Receiving a citizenship certificate does not automatically produce a Canadian passport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can booked air travel make a citizenship certificate application urgent?
Yes, in a defined situation. IRCC says a dual Canadian citizen may request urgent processing if they are also a citizen of a visa-exempt country and have proof of air travel to Canada within six months after applying. IRCC still reviews the request and does not guarantee urgent processing or completion before departure.
Does the applicant also need to prove an emergency or serious hardship?
IRCC lists the dual-citizen air-travel route separately from urgent requests based on exceptional circumstances. Its published criteria for the travel route do not state that the applicant must also prove a death, serious illness, employment loss or comparable hardship.
Is a citizenship certificate enough to board a flight to Canada?
No. A citizenship certificate is proof of citizenship, not a travel document. Most dual Canadian citizens need a valid Canadian passport to board a flight to Canada.
Can a Canadian-American dual citizen fly to Canada with a U.S. passport?
Yes. IRCC says a Canadian-American dual citizen may fly with either a valid U.S. passport or a valid Canadian passport. A traveller using only a U.S. passport should also carry identification showing Canadian citizenship and may face additional immigration screening.
What counts as proof of air travel?
IRCC gives a plane ticket or itinerary, together with proof of payment, as an example. The documentation should clearly show that the applicant will travel by air to Canada within the required six-month period.
Should someone submit a second application if their existing application becomes urgent?
No. IRCC instructs applicants not to submit duplicate urgent applications. A person with an application already in process should follow IRCC’s instructions for requesting urgent processing of that application, usually through the web form.
Does urgent processing guarantee a decision before the flight?
No. IRCC says that it may be unable to complete an application in time even when the request qualifies for urgent treatment.
Can a person apply for a Canadian passport at the same time as a citizenship certificate?
In most first-passport cases, the applicant must provide proof of Canadian citizenship with the passport application. Applicants should review the passport requirements that apply to their circumstances and should not assume that an urgent citizenship certificate request will also accelerate the separate passport process.